The par genes were discovered in genetic screens for regulators of cytoplasmic partitioning
in the early embryo of C. elegans, and encode six different proteins required for asymmetric …

Mitochondria have long been known to be the powerhouses of the cell but they also
contribute to redox and Ca 2+ homeostasis, provide intermediary metabolites and store …

Background The centrosome is the major microtubule organizing center (MTOC) in dividing
cells and in many postmitotic, differentiated cells. In other cell types, however, MTOC …

Background Nematodes can be subdivided into basal Enoplea (clades 1 and 2) and more
derived Chromadorea (clades 3 to 12). Embryogenesis of Caenorhabditis elegans (clade 9) …

The temporal and spatial control of organ-specific endoderm progenitor development is
poorly understood. miRNAs affect cell function by regulating programmatic changes in …

Chordates are divided into three subphyla: Vertebrata, Tunicata, and Cephalochordata.
Phylogenetically, the Cephalochordata, more commonly known as lancelets or amphioxus …

Ascidian embryos sequester a specific cytoplasm, called the postplasm, at the posterior
pole, where many maternal RNAs and proteins accumulate. Although the postplasm is …

Centrosome positioning is crucial during cell division, cell differentiation, and for a wide
range of cell-polarized functions including migration. In multicellular organisms, centrosome …

The dorsoventral and anteroposterior axes of the ascidian embryo are defined before first
cleavage by means of a series of reorganizations that reposition cytoplasmic and cortical …

The evolution of budding in metazoans is not well understood on a mechanistic level, but is
an important developmental process. We examine the evolution of coloniality in ascidians …